Part 38 (1/2)
Aleck glanced at his uncle's face, and could see the blood gathering in his cheeks
”Search my house, sir?” he said ”Are you so 's officers?”
”Possibly, sir,” replied the visitor, ”on the _quid pro quo_ principle, to hold on ransoot some of your friends; you have snatched at one of ours”
”This is the first time, sir, that I've been led to suppose that I was a friend to the slers Eh, Aleck?”
”What nonsense, uncle!” cried the lad, indignantly
”Oh, indeed, young gentle upon him sharply ”No friends of yours neither?”
”Certainly not,” cried Aleck
”Ho! Then, perhaps you will be good enough to explain how it is that the gardener here is the s them?”
”He isn't,” said Aleck, sharply
”He is,” said the officer ”What is oes are run down here in a cove or rift upon your coast, where a handy boat is kept”
”We've got a boat down the rift,” said Aleck
”Exactly; one that runs to and fro between here and Rockabie”
”Yes,” said Aleck, rocery--and writing paper; eh, uncle?”
The captain nodded, while the young lieutenant went on:
”And to take es from here to Rockabie”
”No,” cried Aleck; but the officer went on, quietly:
”Look here, sir, I am credibly infor of the sht of an encounter we had there--a ely struck down It is quite likely that this may be examined into later on, but my business now is to find ood deal of trouble, and s much easier for you, if you put me up to the place where the prisoner is hidden”
”Perhaps it would,” said Aleck, fir whatever about your young midshi+pman If you think he is hidden so”
”Perhaps so,” said the officer, sternly, ”but we shall see”
Then, turning to the captain, he said, shortly:
”I shall have to search your place, sir,” and then rather jeeringly, as if suggesting that it would not matter in the least if the captain objected, he added: ”I presume that you will not put difficulties in my way?”
”None whatever, sir,” said the captain ”And as an old commissioned officer in his Majesty's service should feel it my duty to help in any way I could”
”Eh? Oh, thank you,” said the officer, changing hisyour pardon I heard the people called you captain, but I supposed that you were captain of so boat”
The captain bowed coldly